Attachment for vehicle-tops



J. H. TABLER.

ATTACHMENT FOR VEHICLE TOPS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 21, 1919.

1,365,010. Pa-tent'ed Jan. 11, 1921.

PATENT omen.

JOHN HOWARD TABLER, OF LANHAM, MARYLAND.

ATTACHMENT FOR VEHICLE-TOPS.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patent d J 11 1921 Application filed November 21, 1919. Serial No. 339,541.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, JOHN HOWARD TAB- LER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lanham, in the countyof Prince Georges and State of Maryland, have invented a new and useful Attachment for Vehicle- Tops, of which the following is a specification.

This invention is an attachmentfor connecting the rear portion of the folding top of the type now in common use on motor vehicles, with a rigid portion of the vehicle, to take up and resist the strains normally imposed upon the fabric of the cover by the vibrations incident to travel.

It is common practice to connect the rear bow of the top of a motor vehicle with the back of the rear seat, or some other nearby point on the vehicle to steady the rear portion of the top and to prevent the vibrations incident to the operation of the vehicle from rupturing. or wearing out that por tion of the fabric of the top which normally extends fromthe rear bow to the rear seat. In some forms this connection consists of a strap which is incapable of adjustment and as a consequence, when it has become slightly stretched it is practically useless for the purpose for which intended. Another well known make of motor vehicle employs a device in the form of several straps adjustably united. The objection to this form is two fold. First it is difficult to adjust and therefore is not likely to be disturbed after the first adjustment so that its functions are impaired when stretched. And second, it is unnecessarily expensive to make requiring at least nine rivets and two or three metal ends for the straps.

One of the objects of the invention is to overcome the objections above pointed out by producing a device for the purpose specified, constructed of a single strap which may be quickly and readily adjusted as conditions may require. A further object is to provide a device in which the number of rivets required is reduced to two. and the necessary number of metal tips 1s reduced to one, thereby materially reducing the cost of manufacture.

The invention will be hereinafter fully set forth and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing I Figure 1 is a view illustrating the rear portlon of a folding vehicle top with the invention applied thereto. Fig. 2, is an enlarged front elevation illustrating the invention. Fig. 3, is a side view thereof.

Referring to the drawing, the invention is lllustrated. as consisting of two main elements, namely, a strap A and a buckle B, cooperating to grodu'ce the desired result.

The buckle is preferably made in one integral piece having slightly curved parallel slde members 10 connected by end bars 11 and 12. The end bar 11. is offset upwardly withrespeot to the side bars 10 and is provided with a substantially fiat surface having an angular edge 13. Said bar is also enlarged to form a lifting lip 14 the functions of which will be later explained. The end bar 12 is offset downwardly as shown. The side bars 10 are also connected by intermediate cross bars 15 and 16, both slightly oflset upwardly from the side pieces. A friction bar 17 offset in a similar manner to the intermediate cross bars, is interposed between said crossbars and the end bar 12.

The strap A maybe of any desired ma terial but it is preferred to construct it of the well-known cotton webbing. One end 20 of the strap is passed around the cross bar 16 in the form of a loop and if desired it may be attached tothe body by any suitable means, such as the rivets 21. The strap is then passed around akeeper 22 attached to the bow of the vehicle top and is turned back to form a loop 23, both legs of the loop passing through the space between the friction bar 17 and the end :bar 12. The main portion of the strap is formed into a loop 24 engaging a keeper 25 attached to the rear seat of the vehicle or at any other desired point, the free end of the strap being passed between the cross bars 15 and 16 and then back between the cross bar 15 and the end barll. 7'

It will be noted that the friction bar 17 cooperates with the end bar 12 to hold the contiguous faces of the loop 28 in frictional contact. The strain upon the strap also causes the angular edge 13 to force the faces of the portions of the strap contiguous thereto into frictional engagement which will prevent relative slipping of the com tacting portions of the strap. Should it be desired to tighten up or to slacken the strap it is only necessary to slightly lift the buckle by passing a finger under the lip 14. This moves the contacting faces of the contiguadjusted by a pull on the free end or upon the contiguous portion of the main loop, as circumstances may require.

Having thus explained the nature of the invention and described an operative manner of constructing and using the same, although without attempting to set forth all of the forms in which it may be made, or all of the forms of its use, what is claimed is 1. An attachment for vehicle tops comprising a buckle provided with side members connected by end bars, intermediate cross bars and a friction bar interposed between the cross bars and one end bar, a strap having one end looped around that cross bar which is contiguous to the friction bar, the contiguous portion of the strap being looped to engage a keeper attached to a vehicle top, both legs of the loop being interposed between the friction bar and the end bar with their contiguous faces in frictional contact, the other end ofthe strap being looped around the other cross bar, the contiguous faces of the legs of said loop being held in frictional engagement by the pressure exerted by the contiguous end bar.

2. An attachment for vehicle tops comprising a buckle provided with side members connected by end bars, intermediate cross bars and a friction bar interposed between the cross bars and one end bar, a strap having one end looped around that cross bar which is contiguous to the friction bar, the contiguous portion of said strap being looped and having both legs of the loop interposed between the friction bar and the end bar with their contiguous faces in frictional contact, the other end of the strap be-' ing looped around the other cross bar, the contiguous faces of the legs of said loop being held in frictional engagement by the pressure of the edge of the contiguous end bar, the last mentioned end bar having a lifting lip.

3. An attachmentfor vehicle tops comprising a buckle provided with side members connected by end bars, intermediate cross bars and a friction bar interposed between the cross bars and one end bar, a strap having one end looped around that cross bar which is contiguous to the friction bar,

the contiguous portion of said strap being looped and having both legs of the loop in-- terposed between the friction bar and the end bar with their contiguous faces in frictional contact, the other end of the strap being looped around the other cross bar, the other end bar having a substantially fiat surface provided with an angular edge positioned to force the contiguous faces of the legs of the last mentioned loop into frictional engagement by the pressure exerted by said end bar.

4. An attachment for vehicle tops comprising a buckle provided with side members connected by end bars, intermediate cross bars and a friction bar located between the cross bars and one end bar, a p

having one end looped around that cross bar which is contiguous to the friction bar, the contiguous portion of the strap being looped, both legs of the loop being interposed between the friction bar and the end bar with their contiguous faces in frictional contact, the other end of the strap being looped around the other cross bar, the last men tioned cross bar and the other end bar being in a plane different from that of the side members, whereby the contiguous faces of the legs of the last mentioned loop are held in frictional engagement by the pressure exerted by the last mentioned end bar.

An attachment for vehicle tops comprising a buckle provided with side members connected by end bars, intermediate cross bars and a friction bar located between the cross bars and one end bar, said end bars, cross bars and friction bar being offset from the planes of the side bars, a strap having one end looped around that cross bar which is contiguous to the friction bar, the con tiguous portion of the strap being looped and having both legs of the loop interposed between the friction bar and the end bar and with their contiguous faces in frictional contact, the other end of the strap being looped around the other cross bar, the contiguous faces of the legs of the last mentioned loop being held in frictional engage ment by the pressure exerted by the contiguous end bar.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

JOHN HOWARD TABLER. 

